Oman’s Duqm Emerging As Key Green Hydrogen Hub

1 Jul 2022 Issue: 65 / 26 By: Megan Byrne

Oman has big ambitions to turn the port of Duqm into a major low-carbon hydrogen production hub. Key projects are advancing, with Oman banking on Duqm’s wind and solar potential providing a competitive advantage.

Oman’s under-development downstream hub of Duqm is set to be the centerpiece of its nascent low-carbon hydrogen/ammonia industry. Muscat wants to transform Duqm “into one of the largest industrial and economic hubs in the region,” and as well as refining and petrochemicals it sees green hydrogen as central to this vision.

The most advanced planned green hydrogen project is Duqm’s Hyport 50:50 joint venture between Belgium’s Deme Concessions and state firm OQ’s Alternative Energy division which is due to start up in 2026. The partners plan to develop a green hydrogen and green ammonia production facility with a 500MW electrolysis capacity, where hydrogen will be produced from desalinated water and subsequently converted into green ammonia for export markets. The partners plan to ultimately produce 1mn t/y of green ammonia, and Germany’s Uniper has signed an agreement to negotiate offtakes (MEES, 23 July 2021). (CONTINUED - 890 WORDS)